Yesterday officially started 28 days of fasting and I'm excited that many of you have decided to take on that challenge with me as well!
I can't wait to see what God does in us personally and in our church through our faithfulness and being more intentional about seeking Him!
I have decided to fast in 3 different ways this month.
1) Fasting Sleep: If you're a parent, you probably remember how much sleep is a high commodity when you have an infant. So I have decided to give up 30 minutes minimum of sleep to tune into God's Word and to pray.
2) Fasting anything over 1200 calories: In an effort to get me healthy and back on track with pre-pregnancy (and better than!) body, I will be tracking my calories daily again with My Fitness Pal. I was very good with this for MONTHS before and even during pregnancy and I found that's the best "diet" that has ever worked for me. I can basically eat whatever I want but I just keep track of the calories. If that means I eat 3 pounds of chips and salsa and queso from El Meson, then that's all I can eat in that day :) So, I will stick to only 1200 calories in a day.
3) Fasting "extra": I will give up anything "extra" such as special treats. Oreo milkshakes and Yo Joy Frozen Yogurt and reeces minis are my weakness. I will intentionally stay away from those things during this time of fasting and prayer.
I have a yearning... a longing... to be closer to God.. to be a student of the Word.
You know how your body tells you that you're hungry (by grumbling noises or a headache, etc) or how you don't really have to think about eating. You just do it. It's in your nature?
I had a realization that I want to be hungry for the Word.. where I don't have to think about it. I just do it. It just happens. I want to learn to recognize when I am "hungry" and intentionally look for the signs. I want to make it a consistent thing.
Like Pastor Shane says, you can't come to church and plan to be fed once a week and plan to live and survive the rest of the week. You. Will. Die. You will be very sick and unhealthy and not able to conquer what comes to attack you. You can't be strong and confident and able to help others.
I realized that I'm hungry.
So I have decided to start with a daily devotional through You Version on "Confidence." I struggle with this a lot... I know who God called me to be and I am confident in that but I lack confidence in executing that.
I even bought a new journal to collect my thoughts and I'm so pumped to see the changes that happen in myself and others during this time of fasting and prayer.
I'm also being more intentional of praying "out of my comfort zone." It's easy and normal for me to pray for certain things. But I want to pray for other things.. to stretch my prayer life. I also am covering the church and GH specifically (the kids, families, the team, the environment, how we reach them..) with more intentionality.
The season I'm currently in is definitely the hardest, most stretched, having-to-rely-on-God-more-than-ever that I have EVER experienced and I know the upcoming season will definitely be one that God teaches me a lot. I'm honestly very nervous about it.. trying to remain confident.. Ever have those times when you know what you want so badly but you don't know what the outcome will be? It might be what you hope for but God might have a different direction for you? I'm trying.. really trying to remain confident and hopeful and faithful... knowing that God's best for me is coming. I have to trust in that and that it may or may not look like what I hoped for.
That's a little of my heart and where I'm at this this week... can anyone else relate?
So glad we're in this together!
-Pastor Tiffany
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